5,962 Forum Posts by "Dr-Worm"
At 1/14/12 07:29 PM, homsarrunner3 wrote: And of course my parents ALWAYS side with him, because he's still they're wittle baby.
Or, y'know, because you're supposed to be more mature so they expect more from you.
It is way worse to be an older sibling than a younger one.
I guarantee you that your brother feels the opposite is true. I'm a twin, and depending on the situation I've alternately been treated like both the younger and the older sibling. Both sides have their perks and downsides. Try looking at things from his perspective every once in a while, even if he can't/won't do the same.
Man, you guys are always complaining about this kind of thing and I just don't get it.
At 1/15/12 12:30 AM, Natick wrote: That doesn't happen when your dick is circumcised. You need to put some ksin over the crack so then it splits in half.
Uuuh, in my capacity as NG's current Jew in Residence, you're wrong.
Satisfaction is relative. Yes, the people in those African tribes have some abundant resources and low population density, but I think a big reason why they're on average more satisfied than us is because they don't need as much to be satisfied.
We, on the other hand, live in a society based around materialism and consumerism, where we're constantly bombarded with commercial messages (both direct and indirect) telling us we shouldn't be satisfied until we have more stuff. Not to mention that Western countries in general and America in particular are obsessed with a myth of steady, neverending progress for both individual lives and society as a whole.
There's definitely a way for us to be happy even with our higher population density and all the other unique problems of a modern post-industrial society, but it would require us to be a little less shallow and greedy and stupid.
Hey, yeah, let's all pretend this is a good thing so we can ignore the fact that Sonic is a disease-ridden aging whore!
I think it was Wind Waker. I preordered it because it came with a bonus second disc of OoT Master Quest.
At 1/5/12 05:52 AM, ngman7 wrote: I know that- but it is obvious the people who write these things are not Christians. If they were they wouldn't include other Gods.
You're missing my point. It doesn't matter what god the writers believe in or what god they make up for the story, because they aren't necessarily trying to make you believe in that god. In fact, in this day and age they almost always aren't. The mere inclusion of spiritual elements doesn't make a work a religious tract.
You're basically telling me that pretending something exists in a fictional universe is the same as acknowledging it exists in real life, and that just doesn't make any sense.
At 1/4/12 09:22 PM, Zoraxe7 wrote: I think that maybe the people in charge of Cartoon Network at least are realizing that older people still enjoy cartoons and are trying to release less dumb crap so to grab more older viewers.
I think it's just a matter of recognizing an open niche and filling it. With Disney and now Nick filling their schedules with live-action shows, CN is the only kids' network left with a focus on animation. It makes it unique and, yes, probably helps it draw older viewers than Nick or Disney.
Its because, according to CR, its on a new network, who are usually desperate to establish themselves.CR is a reviewer and he made 2 videos about MLP, there pretty funny.
One little problem: the "new network" is co-owned by Hasbro. They don't have much of an incentive to establish themselves as purveyors of quality children's television the way Nick did back in the day, they just have an incentive to sell some fucking toys.
MLP certainly has high production values, and it certainly does a good job of imitating the advances in cartoon narrative and humor that have been made over the past couple decades, but (and maybe this is just me) I can't watch that show without constantly being aware of what the bottom line is. I think that at the end of the day, it's deliberately designed to emulate the quality shows of the '90s in order to update the blatant commercialism of the '80s for a new, more media savvy generation of viewers. And that's it. I'm sure that the working environment at MLP is much more pleasant than what '80s writers and animators experienced, and I'm sure that a lot of the people working on that show really enjoy what they do. But when it comes down to it, it's not their show. To me, it is at best a very well-made long-form advertisement.
At 1/5/12 05:31 AM, ngman7 wrote: A true Christian doesn't and can't acknowledge any other god.
But we're talking about works of fiction, stories that take place in invented universes that are not our own. Just because a story includes some sort of deity or religion doesn't mean it's pushing the audience to start worshipping them, especially if they're made-up. And even if they are based on real religions, can't you still appreciate a story on its own aesthetic and narrative merits as a work of fiction without acknowledging its religious overtones as real-life fact?
I mean, I like plenty of works that overtly reference Christianity, and doing so hasn't suddenly made me a Christian. Come on, man, even small children can distinguish between fiction and reality. Surely your faith in the validity of your own religion is strong enough that it won't be rattled by fictional representations of other beliefs in silly cartoon shows.
It's pretty obviously some combination of genetic mutation (homosexuality has been observed in several animal species) and environment factors (human sexuality is far more complicated than just what's in our genes) that we don't yet fully understand and honestly don't really need to. What it absolutely is not is a conscious choice or a whim, and to make that claim is to trivialize the struggles that our stupid, stupid society forces gay people to go through every day.
Just a thought: if you don't think Beavis & Butthead is funny, it might be because you are them.
At 1/4/12 06:14 AM, ngman7 wrote: They could have done WITHOUT the female objectification in shows like Captain Planet and Animaniacs.
Ugh, come on, the objectification in Animaniacs is blatantly meant to be a parody.
It is a show gloriying idolatry and witchcraft and that is one of things that was bad about it.
Setting aside the utter ridiculousness of making moral complaints about Captain fucking Planet, do you just automatically hate any work that involves a religious belief that isn't yours? I guess that rules out all pre-Christian and Eastern art, plus countless modern works. Oh well, your loss.
At 1/4/12 02:42 PM, argile wrote: Some of old the shows that were on Nick had a certain amount of blandness behind it ,Yet there's some sort of entertaining quirkiness that can't be described.
They're not bland, they're mellow, something that today's horribly ADD-addled, constantly overstimulated generation doesn't have much of an appreciation for. I think the low-key nature of shows like Hey Arnold, Doug, and Rugrats is a nice alternative to the frenetic energy of most other cartoons, which often seem like they're trying too hard to be wacky. They don't really make shows like that anymore, though.
At 1/4/12 03:36 AM, ngman7 wrote: Does anyone else think SOME '90s cartoons sucked?
Well, obviously. Just because there was generally a better environment for creators doesn't mean the networks didn't still try to pull the same old crap. Sturgeon's Law is in full effect here, same as with everything else.
At 1/4/12 03:39 AM, ngman7 wrote: Captain N: The Game Master, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, Super Mario Bros. Super Show, WOody Woodpecker, Looney Tunes and Roger Rabbit didn't suck.
Captain N and the Mario show are exactly the kind of commercial bullshit I'm talking about. Most of Chip and Dale's run was in 1990, so that hardly counts, and even then I would argue that it's alright for a kids' show, but not really good in its own right. Woody Woodpecker and Looney Tunes aren't from the '80s, and Roger Rabbit is a movie (totally different industry and circumstances).
But whatever. I just think that the high points of the '90s and '00s have advanced the medium well past even the best shows of the '80s (live-action, adult television isn't much different in that respect, actually).
At 1/4/12 12:57 PM, Darthleather wrote: I don't understand the love affair with Spongebob Squarepants. I always thought it was more annoying than funny.
Its style of humor has been endlessly ripped off over the past decade, but at the time there wasn't really anything else like it.
At 1/3/12 08:11 PM, LittleWashu wrote:
On some of these accounts I can agree with you. However, just about every cartoon made in the past and present have been made to sell products and we both know this.
I'll agree with you that the networks always have and continue to air cartoons with the expectation that they will succeed in ancillary markets. Whatever, that's just the business side of things. But the difference between the '80s and the '90s is the role of the creative side. In the '80s, the creative personnel of these shows either had no real vision or weren't allowed to express it. The actual content of the show was determined entirely by the network's commercial aims. In the '90s, on the other hand, individual creators and teams were given a lot more freedom to make the shows they wanted to make. The networks still pushed to soften controversial content and make shows more readily commercial, but not as much as they used to, and creators started to push back.
For example, compare Transformers and Spongebob. Both are massive cash cows, and both properties' corporate owners have milked them for all they're worth. But Transformers was built around already existing toy products and meant for the sole purpose of helping to sell them. If anything, the TV show was the ancillary product, and the toys were the primary one. Hardly the stuff great, genuine cultural works are made of, and the show clearly does not hold up very well. Spongebob, on the other hand, was a quirky little creator-driven show that defied the network's expectations and turned out to be a huge hit. And if you look back at the first few seasons of that show, those episodes are still just as great now as they were then, because they were made with attention and care as a genuine form of expression and entertainment, not just a crass attempt to sell shit.
Also on that fact there are many of the non 80's cartoons that are really bad as well. I have seen quite a few cartoons that sacirface plot for stupid overused jokes and meme's which if anything can be be just as bad as what you claimed made 80's cartoons suck as well.
Well, yeah, sure. Like I said in an earlier post, the expansive creative freedom of the '90s hasn't existed for quite some time. There are still plenty of good shows out there, but it's a hell of a lot harder to get something unique and original made. Things aren't nearly as bad as they were in the '80s, but there has still been a good deal of backpedaling from the progress made in the '90s, and you can tell from what kinds of shows are generally being made now ('80s revivals, spinoffs of popular movies, old cash cows way past their prime, the occasional pathetic attempt to get another Spongebob, etc.).
At 1/3/12 07:19 AM, ngman7 wrote: I mean I dare you to look at old '80s and '90s cartoons and tell me that they suck.
Okay: old '80s cartoons sucked. They had cheap, ugly animation, premises that flagrantly ripped off whatever the last big hit was, stories that were mindlessly repetitive, poorly written, badly voice-acted, and full of stupid pandering bullshit and shoehorned-in PSAs, and worst of all, were almost without exception all cynically calculated from the ground up for the sole purpose of selling toys and other ancillary merchandise. Nostalgia and a newfound ironic appreciation for kitschy things have boosted the profile of shows like Transformers and G.I. Joe, but if you actually tried to go back and watch them you'd see them for the utter shit they are.
Shows like that are very much products of the jingoistic, materialist Reagan '80s, and they do not hold up at all. They were slapped together cheaply and lazily, exploiting the most vulnerable group of television viewers (children) to make a quick buck. Just all-around fucking awful.
At 1/2/12 12:35 PM, toastburner wrote: Transgenderism does start to show up at a young age. But to be diagnosed at 7 is ridiculous.
Wait until he's at least 13 before you make a diagnosis
1. "Diagnosis?" It's not a disease.
2. Gender and sexuality are not the same thing, and it's entirely possible that someone could view themselves as a different gender even before puberty. Is it also possible that this is just a phase and when he gets older he won't identify as a girl anymore? Sure, but who cares? He considers himself a girl now, and there's no good reason for the troop to not accommodate that.
How do you determine the legitimacy of someone's transgenderism? What does that even mean? Why does it even matter? The kid says he feels like he's a girl, so whatever, just let him be a girl!
Wow, I'm actually...kind of impressed with you guys so far. As is usually the case with these kinds of things, I'm going to hate my own list the second I post it and want to completely change it, but whatever, here goes:
10. Another World
9. Psychonauts
8. Super Mario Bros. 3
7. Mother 3
6. Tetris
5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
4. Portal
3. Chrono Trigger
2. Super Mario 64
1. Shadow of the Colossus
Yeah, there have been some good, even great shows recently. Adventure Time is one of the best shows on television as far as I'm concerned, a few weeks ago I wrote an epic term paper on Avatar: The Last Airbender, and there are other bright spots around the kids' networks (Regular Show, Phineas & Ferb, or Gumball, which I don't like nearly as much as the others but it's not a bad show by any means).
That said, I'm pretty hesitant to be declaring this a second golden age or some shit like that, for the simple reason that even though there's been an uptick in quality shows, the actual industry hasn't really changed at all. The '90s were so good for cartoons because the children's cable networks were new and willing to experiment with edgy, creator-driven shows, partly because it was a brand new industry and nobody really knew what strategies would work, but also because Nick and CN wanted to present themselves as superior alternatives to the heavily commercialized, mindless, violent Saturday morning cartoons that were loathed by parents, educational groups, and other authority figures.
But it doesn't work like that anymore. These networks are now worth billions of dollars and have their production strategies down to a science. They're not the alternatives to anything anymore, they're the mainstream. And sure, good things can still happen, but generally a tightly controlled, corporate-minded environment isn't exactly conducive to boundary-pushing, creator-driven works. Not to mention that content regulation has gotten much tighter over the past decade or so.
So basically, that there are a surprisingly large amount of good shows on the kids' networks right now is more coincidence than anything. I think it comes and goes in waves, and that won't change until there's another major shift in how the industry works.
At 12/26/11 11:27 PM, Magical-Zorse wrote: They're both just awful.
Seconded.
NEEEEEEEEERDS!
The order is really rough and should probably be ignored.
Albums:
1. The Jolly Boys- Great Expectation
2. Tom Waits- Bad As Me
3. Bon Iver- Bon Iver
4. Cloud Nothings- Cloud Nothings
5. Kurt Vile- Smoke Ring For My Halo
6. The Roots- Undun
7. Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
8. The Book of Mormon Original Cast- The Book of Mormon
9. Rocket From the Tombs- Barfly
10. Wye Oak- Civilian
Songs:
1. Tom Waits- "Hell Broke Luce"
2. Kurt Vile- "Baby's Arms"
3. Cloud Nothings- "Understand At All"
4. Bjork- "Virus"
5. Fleet Foxes- "Helplessness Blues"
6. Rocket From the Tombs- "I Sell Soul"
7. Bon Iver- "Holocene"
8. The Book of Mormon Original Cast- "Hasa Diga Eebowai"
9. The National- "Exile Vilify"
10. The Lonely Island- "Jack Sparrow"
The Jolly Boys album is all covers, which is why no tracks make my best songs list even though it's my number one album. Still, it's an incredible album that you should definitely check out if you have any interest at all in reggae or world music.
At 12/25/11 12:48 AM, AsthmaticHamster wrote: 2. Man Man - Life Fantastic
I heard bits and pieces of this and it left me cold, even though I loved Six Demon Bag and Rabbit Habits. Maybe I should give it another listen.
At 11/22/11 12:11 PM, idiot-monarch wrote:Best Overall Poster in the Videogames Forum
Dr-Worm. He's not super-active here, but every post he makes makes me nod in approval. Really intelligent and knowledgeable fellow.
D'awwwww, thanks. Nice to know that a few people actually read my posts.
At 11/21/11 04:23 PM, SlipperyMooseCakes wrote: |||User Awards|||
Eh, I haven't really been active enough this year to make an informed opinion.
|||Videogame Awards|||
I haven't played all that much this year and the lines between genres keep getting blurrier, so sorry if I stretch the categories a little.
Best Shooter - The shooter, first-person, third-person, online, offline, or otherwise, that you found to be the most enjoyable.
The Binding of Isaac
Best RPG - There were quite a few good RPG's released in 2011, especially in the handheld market. Vote for the one that you like the best.
Bastion
Best Action Game - Probably the vaguest genre of gaming. If it's got action and you love it, vote for it.
Rayman Origins
Best Smartphone Game - Best game released on the Iphone in 2011
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
Best Xbox 360 Game - Best game released on the Xbox 360 in 2011
Portal 2
Best Wii Game - Best game released on the Wii in 2011
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Best PS3 Game - Best game released on the PS3 in 2011
The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (probably shouldn't count, but it's the only PS3 game I played this year)
Best PC Game - Best game released on the PC in 2011
The Binding of Isaac
Best Graphics - The game that made you look away and then back at the screen to verify that it was actually a game. Graphics over game-play all the way.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
Best Game Soundtrack- The game that had the best overall musical score/use of music throughout the game.
Bastion
Best Multiplayer Game - The game whose multiplayer gives it almost unlimited re-playability.
Portal 2
Best PSN/Xbox Live Arcade/WiiWare Game - The best game from the three downloadable services on consoles.
Bastion
Best Console - Which console owned 2011? It could be because of solid game releases, updated services, or because you're a fanboy.
Xbox 360
Best Online Service - Whether it be Xbox Live, PSN, Steam, etc. This service provided the best over all experience for your online needs.
Steam
Worst Console- The console that had the worst year.
PSP
Best Game No One Played - There were tons of AAA games released this year. Which one is your favorite that you feel didn't get the retail recognition it deserved.
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
Most Overrated Game - This game is constantly talked up, but it really isn't that great.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (overrated =/= bad)
Most Creative - This game took your gaming experience to an are you never knew it could. This may have not been the best game you played this year, but it sure as hell intrigued you with its creativeness.
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
Best New IP - Being a new IP (Intellectual Property - ie: a brand name) can be tough, but this game should be the foundation of an awesome new series.
The Binding of Isaac
The One that Got Away - This game was scheduled for 2011 but slipped out of your hands into 2011 or beyond.
The Last Guardian (second year in a row!)
Biggest Disappointment - You were set on getting this game on day one if possible. You tried and tried to like it, but just couldn't get into it.
From Dust
Game of the Year - Pretty self-explanatory. The game that released in 2011 on any platform that you enjoyed the most.
Portal 2
At 12/14/11 11:11 AM, SFS1313 wrote: to either deny or firmly believe in the existence of ghosts without all the facts is foolish.
To either deny or firmly believe in the existence of unicorns without all the facts is foolish. To either deny or firmly believe in the existence of Santa Claus without all the facts is foolish. To either deny or firmly believe in the existence of Count Chocula without all the facts is foolish.
Do you see what the problem with your statement is?
At 12/18/11 05:37 PM, Jacco wrote: i like playing as metroid. Hes realy strong
Metroid is pretty good, but I tend to play as Kid Icarus more often.
At 12/16/11 09:31 AM, Rummy0 wrote: Nah.
Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.
Well my street cred just went up I guess, but to be honest, in all likelihood these statistics mostly come from East St. Louis, and my honky ass lives far, far away from there.
That said, I have heard the street I live on referred to as "Mugger's Row" and less accurately but more hilariously, "Death Alley."
At 12/14/11 09:36 PM, SlipperyMooseCakes wrote: Psychonauts, Beyond Good & Evil
^This. You should definitely look into these two, especially now that they aren't as rare as they used to be thanks to digital rereleases. Two of my all-time favorites.
Also, you should download the new Humble Indie Bundle asap. And make sure you pay more than the average so you can get Cave Story.
N64- Ness, Jigglypuff, Pikachu, and Luigi. I'm a little disappointed at how these characters have been nerfed over the years, even though I realize it was totally necessary.
Melee- Everyone. Like, actually. Even Pichu. But I guess on average I pick Marth, Dr. Mario, Young Link, Zelda/Sheik, Luigi, Peach, and Jigglypuff more than anyone else.
Brawl- I haven't played it in a few years, but I think I liked Lucas, Pit, Ike, Lucario, and Snake.
Only once going to college, New York to St. Louis. Though next semester I'll be living in Prague.
Aaaah, it's spicy! I don't care if it goes to New York!
I think you're missing the larger point here. And the kid is uncomfortable because he's in close proximity to Michele Bachmann and her Gorgon death stare.
Only once. I'm not a real doctor. But I am a real worm, I am an actual worm.
